Dementia affects an increasing number of people: in 2012, 800,000 people in the UK had a form of dementia. The cost to the British economy, estimated at £23bn a year by the Alzheimer's Society, is now greater than cancer, strokes and heart disease combined. Finding a solution that can both alleviate the pressures on society and allow people with dementia to live with dignity is crucial; this is why it should win the public vote to decide the focus of the Longitude prize 2014.
Recent stories in the media about the quality of care provided to the elderly have highlighted that there is still a lack of understanding and even empathy when caring for those with dementia. The Care Quality Commission has shown that care across England is patchy at best and in need of improvement. With the NHS struggling to cope with increasing numbers of people with dementia, a greater burden is being placed on the role of family carers in providing support.
